To get into the best medical school in the USA, you need to stand out from the crowd…
If you are thinking of starting a new career in the healthcare sector, although it can be incredibly rewarding – it’s also very competitive. To get into the best medical school in the USA, you need to stand out from the crowd. We’ve listed some ways that you can improve your chances of getting into a top medical school.
Get Recommendations and References
It’s difficult to get into a prestigious medical school unless you have strong recommendations backing you up. You need to make sure that the letter itself doesn’t contain basic information such as you got good grades, you attended class etc – it should highlight how well you work with a team, how committed you are to the sector and such like. It should leave the school with a lasting impression. The more personal you can get your recommendation letters to be, the better.
Ace your MCAT’s
Most top medical schools will look for impressive grades and a fantastic MCAT score. Sitting MCAT’s can be a stressful time, for the most capable of medical students as a lot is riding on it. The key is preparation. If you have prepared well, you will be calmer under pressure. Ensure you have all the right books and resources to hand in order to ace your MCAT’s. Princeton Review is known to be a big help to students and TestStudyGuides have written a guide called “The Princeton Review MCAT Prep Course, Practice Test and Book Review” which is a great place to get informed. It allows great flexibility in that you can learn at your own pace, ask experts questions online and even attend courses at a campus close to you.
Focus on Extra Curricular Activities
Of course, what you do academically is important, but it takes extra initiative to distinguish yourself outside the classroom. This is where extra-curricular activities come in. If you demonstrate that you have significantly contributed to your school community in some way, you will more likely be noticed by the medical school. This could be leading one of the larger groups on campus, or simply identifying a school issue, and finding a solution to that problem. All of this shows that you can use your initiative.
Show How Determined You Are
Being a medical professional needs a huge amount of commitment, and as such – the medical school you are applying for will want to see evidence of how determined you are to succeed. It’s not unusual for people to want to attend a medical school purely to gain acceptance from family and peers, and they are very careful in ensuring that that’s not the case. You need to demonstrate that you have taken great care when deciding to go into medical care. You should detail whatever experiences you have had that have prepared you for this kind of role.
If you are looking to start a career in medicine – understand the commitment level involved. If it’s your calling – make sure you take the appropriate steps necessary to stand out from the other applicants. In this competitive sector, it all counts.
